Bittersweet
by Intrigued Writer
Summary: Jacqueline was content with the simple things in her life. Where myths stayed myths. But this little librarian is about to get surprised that some myth's happened to be true. She was used to her life without having to worry about anything exciting happening to her, yet she was about to get a rude awakening. Pairing:OcxDarkLoki Post-Thor.
1. Chapter 1: A day work and curiosity

Hello everyone! This is my first fanfic for this section. I do not own anything but my own characters and the plot. Thanks you all for checking out this story; I hope you enjoy it!

_Taste of a lie can stay bittersweet. It was the sordid moments savored of memories you begin to distaste, yet the memories full of bliss truth was nothing more than a foul regret. ~Intrigued Writer._

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Chapter 1 : A Simple Day, not even close.

"Excuse me, Jacqueline you have a phone call. It's your friend Jane Foster, she calling about some books she requested."

"Okay Mrs. Green. Thank you," a second voice replied. With that, the door to the librarian's office room clicked closed as the older woman exited the room. The location: New Mexico library office room. The time, 11 PM. She wondered if this was another attempt to get her to go out for a night on the town.

Jane Foster was a head strong woman she'd become friends with when she arrived in the state, and she had to give her one thing; she had the determination of a raging bull. Jacqueline admired Jane because she stood up for what she believed in, as she did herself too. Sometimes she thought Jane could be a bit pushy though, especially if it came to her and her non-active social life.

Well, everything was fine to Jackie with having a life with no excitement. Besides, what good had ever came with an exciting lifestyle? Nothing but trouble and she was happy with the way everything was being peaceful which meant she didn't have to deal with something unexpected.

The only excitement Jacqueline Blake looked forward to was when she had her days off, snuggled into a good book.

'_That's something I can deal with. Beside it's not like my life will change anytime soon, and I am content with being a simple woman. Who could ask for more than that?'_

A sigh of contentment escaped her lips after she finished checking back in a couple of books in the computer system. After one last click and scan to register the books back in to the system she then stood from her chair to go collect the books Jane needed.

While getting the books list, she ran a hand through her dark chocolate brown hair as her green-hazel eyes scanned through the list for her friend, while at the same time thinking of an excuse not to go out later that night.

It was a strange thought to Jacqueline when she went to get all the books together that Jane had request from her list. '_I never would have thought that Jane would take an interest in mythology',_ she said to herself in bemusement. She became curious as she grabbed the book titled Scandinavian Mythology: Norse Gods & Goddesses. That was the one that stood out to her besides getting the usual books on Theoretical astrophysics. It was a question that she would have to ask her friend after she already had the items scanned and ready to go for Jane. Jacqueline was reclined in her large brown office chair; her legs crossed holding a cup of coffee in her hand while slowly relaxing as her day of work was done. She then got the phone in her hand and dialed.

"I have all the books you requested, yet I never figured you'd be interested in Norse Mythology or myths in general. So what piqued your interest in the subject?" Jacqueline curiously asked Jane on the phone. The woman sat in her office under basic ceiling lights that were pretty standard for a library office; the very definition of simplicity. All around there were a couple of desks, accompanied by a medium onyx bookshelf. Behind the desk there was a clear view of streets behind her. Somehow even with New Mexico's sweltering heat, it still had something beautiful about all of it that she couldn't label. Before her was a stack of documents on her desk that needed to be put away and her computer screen showed a game of solitaire on her computer half-completed. The room itself was decorated with pictures and posters about learning, and among them her co-workers desk was adorned with family photos. In the center of the room led a door to the break room where two leather sofas surrounding a wooden coffee table were situated and it had a kitchen with a standard microwave to heat up a quick cheap lunch on the go.

"It was just that I wanted to learn about the subject, and this is something I found intriguing. Beside it's like a new hobby for me. I mean, before I would have never found it interesting, yet it seems Jackie your contagious insights made me curious." Jane informed her while she internally muttered a curse inside her brain, believing there was no way that Jacqueline would listen to everything she experienced in on that day.

Jackie could tell when she knew there was something more to it, so Jane decided to give half the truth and lie at the same time to avoid the questioning. She didn't think that her friend would even fancy the thought of the myths being true.

Maybe testing her knowledge on the subject would help, because she knew her friend had not been actually forthcoming to look over some of the chapters in the book. Her eyes widened on the topic she found that few people knew of and was rarely talked about among experts in Norse myths. Jackie asked this knowing there was no way that Jane would answer this correctly.

"Why did Odin sacrifice his eye? Who did he give his eye to?" Jackie questioned hearing a slight pause of the phone from the woman on the other line while growing a bit curious about what answer she would receive. She tapped her neatly trimmed nails against her desk wondering when Jane would answer her question.

"The reason Odin gave up his eye was for wisdom, and he would do anything to gain it. Mimir had guarded a magical well named the Well of Wisdom. Anyone who drank the water from that well would gain his wisdom. Odin gave Mimir his right eye in order to drink from the well, being the first and only to do so. After drinking from the well Odin became the wisest god in Asgard while his eye was left behind in the well as a sign to show others what he paid for wisdom." Jane answered with knowledge on the subject after she been studying a few books she'd gotten herself from the library. Suffice it to say it left Jacqueline surprised at her accuracy with her answer. She applauded her friend at what she had learnt about the king of the Norse Gods.

Jane giggled on her end of the phone, knowing what she had called to ask would come up in their discussion. A mental groan entered her mind as she shook her head at not being able to detour her friend from what her intended call was about.

"Now Jacqueline we should meet somewhere to talk—and before you say some crappy excuse—I am not letting you blow me off again and that's the end of it. So how about the diner up the road from your place?"

Jacqueline sighed, knowing a lost cause when she saw it, "Fine, but I can't stay out long. I have work tomorrow." Jane laughed in response on the other end and somehow Jackie knew that piece of information had gone in one ear and out the other.

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**A/N: Here is my first fanfic this sections,and I hope to you guys like it.I want to thank my friend Fuschia Grasshopper for being my beta. XD**


	2. Chapter 2 : Delicious Comebacks

Hope you guys liked the starting chapter! :D Here is the next chapter no Loki yet but don't worry he will be in Chapter 3 for sure. XD

Happy reading everyone don't forget to review. XD

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After Jack closed up the library she headed to the bar Jane wanted to meet her at after she left work. Their meeting had something to do with what Jane had been working on, and that would be very interesting to her. She made her way into the lot of the local bar to find Jane's car near the front entrance, and she parked next to her car.

Jacqueline remember the last bit of the conversation she'd had with Jane but wondered what else she could be researching that was so important as to have to meet with her here. She received few details from her friend, who sound excited of the project that she had currently assigned herself to. She approached the bar and looked up at a sign with neon red letters that read "Delicious Comebacks" It was a weird sounding name for a bar if she had ever seen one, though the town was small so the pickings were slim.

While in her red Mazda 2 pulling into the spot next to Jane's night blue Fiat-which fit her perfectly- there was a buzzing of her cell phone, letting her know she'd gotten a text.

'Hey, I already have a table for us. Are you here?'

She sent her a message back saying she'd arrived at the bar, and exited the car. She took her purse deciding to leave the books in the back seat since they were going to head to her place. A snapping sound could be heard from the vehicle, signaling that it had locked all the doors. Jack made her way up the wooden ramp, wondering in her mind what Jane wanted to talk to her about .

The vague comment that she could recall was something that called about how the Norse Gods and about how they traveled to Midgard. It almost seemed like she was more hopeful with whatever made her cheer up in a couple of days because frankly it made Jack relieved to see Jane out her funk. It must've had something to do with a guy, but she never would butt into her friends personal life until it had gotten to the point where she wouldn't come out of her home.

Entering the double doors of the bar she walked in hearing the sound of banter and other chatter that was raising in the enormous establishment. The sound of drunken men and women filled the room with simple conversations, some outrageous and some that could be described as downright lewd. Jackie felt pushed from her comfort zone in this place, having never been much of a party animal or a social drinker for that matter. The dim lighting and the heat was making her sweat through her work clothes and she was tempted to reach for a cocktail napkin to dab at her wet forehead. Her eyes started to frantically search through the crowd for Jane, who happened to have picked a back booth and was now waving her over with a humorous smile. Jackie knew she would be teased a little bit as soon as she walked across the expanse of the room and she sucked in a deep breath for courage before sauntering her way through the room.

"I wasn't sure if you'd show. I thought maybe you'd have big plans last minute." Jane teased playfully while Jackie slid herself into the leather booth.

She let out a small sigh waving her hands up in the air showing a sign of defeat while getting comfortable in the chair, "I couldn't resist because a certain someone told me there was project that would tickle my fancy." The tone was sarcastic, but she teased Jane right back who gave her a grin of knowing with acknowledgment that she had upped the ante with something that she couldn't refuse.

Clasping her hands together loosely Jane leaned forward a little resting her elbows on the table in all seriousness she asked, "I was wondering if their was a way for Norse Gods to find other means of travel back to Asgard?"

Jack looked at her friend would waited politely for a response to her question. She thought about the book she'd read called the 'Pathwalkers guide to the Nine Worlds'. The only way she knew was the Gods could travel by the Rainbow Bridge or Bifrost as the author of the book, Raven Kaldera, really only covered the basis.

"Jane the only thing that I can think of that refers to the Nine Realms and traveling from Asgard for a God would have to be the Rainbow bridge or Bifrost, to get to and from places. I have a feeling there's more to this than that, am I right Jane?" Jack got the look from her face that said it all. Jane began to spill the contents of her whole unbelievable story and the Thunder God Thor and how he came to earth. Jacqueline began to absorb all entail she was being told about how he came to be here.

"So he said he was banished by his father, Odin the Allfather?!" Jackie exclaimed. Though it sounded like something out of a dream, she couldn't contain her excitement at the idea of the myths she had studied so passionately coming true.

"He came out of the sky.I er-hit him with my car, but that's besides the point. I mean we were skeptical at first, Erik and Darcy I mean, but what he started say seemed to make a lot of sense. He had no grasp of anything here on Earth and the stories he told..." Jane trailed off with a dreamy look in her eyes, "But then we were attacked. His warrior friends came to bring him back to his home. I don't know much about Loki, but apparently he was the one causing all of the trouble for Thor."

Jackie nodded in understanding, "Yes, of course he would. Loki is God of mischief and lies. There are some discrepancies among mythologists about Loki's characteristics and deeds, but they all pretty much add to the same conclusion."

"Which is?" Jane asked.

"Which is his tendency to cause trouble for other Gods, specifically Thor." Jackie explained, "Jane...how was it to see them? What were they like?" She grew nervous with awe and wasn't certain on how to go about asking without sounding completely pathetic.

"He was marvelous, and I mean truly, I'm not just saying that. At first glance, I knew there was something special about him."

The way Jane was talking, it sounded as if she was in love. Jackie didn't inquire about that though. She hadn't been there and it wasn't any of her business anyways, though she had to figure Jane was asking on some sort of a personal level.

"Well there are other rumors that Thor's hammer Mjolnir could create a portal with Lighting back to Asgard and he could accomplish it by striking his hammer on the ground, but another way I think it would be possible is by summoning lighting to the hammer while probably making a fast circular motion with his wrist." Jack demonstrated the second by twirling with one of her arms in the air which Jane busted out a laugh at the display and some of the members at the bar said 'Whip it baby' which was the name of the song that was playing in the background. Her face flushed immediately and she then snatched her arm back down swiftly while taking a sip of her water to try and hide her embarrassment, which failed.

"Good to know." Jane said while raising her glass, "Seriously though Jackie. What I'm researching is huge and I'd like your help. You are more of an expert on this stuff than even Erik, and more of a believer too even after he's seen everything. Would you come back to my lab so I can at least persuade you?"

Jackie bit her bottom lip and sank back into the leather of the booth while trying to ignore Jane's pleading stare, "I don't know. I mean, I still have my job Jane."

"We'd work it around your schedule, you could come in the evenings."

This was her passion and the offer was nearly too good to refuse. She knew she'd never see anything like this again, not when the Government or other parties would take charge and Jane had been apart of it first hand which meant she was practically a shoe-in, "Let's go to your lab then, and you can show me what you have so far."

Jane broke out into a huge grin, "I knew you'd see it my way!"

Jackie returned the grin in a feeble attempt at being enthused. She never really could just throw caution into the wind, but she tried for the sake of exploring her dream. She threw back the rest of her water and swallowed while Jane applauded. Maybe she should have ordered alcohol for some false confidence, because she'd surely need more of it after tonight.

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**IntriguedWriter**:Here is chapter 2 and I would like to thank **Fuchsia Grasshopper** for all her help. She is awesome author herself which is why you should check out her fics too. Chapter 3 is coming up and guess who will appear Dun Dun Dun Duh...that's right Loki will be in make his appearance. XD


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Traffic couldn't have been worse. It felt like whether when people came out day or night, they still lacked common knowledge on how to drive. Jacqueline sighed following behind Jane who she could imagine was probably feeling like tearing her own hair out by now.

She stared out of her window looking at the night sky with stars that danced across the zenith and the luminescent glow of the moon. The sight itself was beautiful, almost like something out of a well written novel fit for a scene of two lovers. A humorous laugh escaped her lips when she thought of the word love. It could be described for herself that it was a tangible subject that seemed to avoid her at all costs in her life in general. Sure, it would be nice to meet a man to maybe add to her loveless, lonely life and maybe it would get her mother off her back as referring to her as the only daughter that she wouldn't see grandchildren from.

Jack was much different from her sister Lauren who had family of her own and a wonderful husband, Sebastian along with their son James who was four. He was very observant for a child his age, not to mention she loved spending time with him. That was besides the point though, and she was fine without having someone in her life. It was not that she didn't ever try, it was just something that was not in her plans at the moment because her work kept her busy, so trying to start a romance wasn't her top priority.

As she pulled in to Jane's work station, she had a moment of nostalgia when she had first met the astrophysicist. It had been at the library (where else) and she had been working on stacking books back to their places from a cart when Jane rolled in. From first glance it didn't seem as if they'd run in the same social circle, as to say Jackie didn't run in many of those at all. Jane had needed help though, finding a book on stars or another matter which she had been obliged to help. Jane had just arrived in New Mexico, apparently from the airport in Albuquerque before driving out to set up shop in the small town. Jackie had admired her independence to come this far for her job, and the woman was resourceful. They ended up talking over her break while Jane had got to discussing about the equipment she was working on herself. Jackie wasn't sure on most of the stuff she had talked about then, and was even still baffled by Jane's job now, but she put on a pleasant smile and chatted idly all the same. Thinking back on that, Jackie felt her life hadn't changed much from then to now, and felt slightly disappointed in herself. Perhaps the desert heat was getting to her after all these dry years.

"So, ready to go inside and see what I'm working on?" Jane asked as she stepped out from her car and strided over to Jackie's window where she sat behind the wheel, staring blankly ahead. She was snapped out of her reverie by the intrusion and quickly hit the release on her seatbelt before stepping out from the car.

"Are Erik and Darcy here?" She asked as she hit the button to lock her doors.

"Erik's out, but Darcy's around. She's probably sleeping though. That girl's lazing her way towards extra credit." Jane breathed a laugh at her young friend.

They started their way inside, Jackie feeling a little unsure of herself or her usefulness, though she supposed that was up to Jane to deem if she was of certain benefit to this project. She hadn't visited Jane's lab often, though it looked considerably different this time around as she surveyed the area. The equipment was on a technological grand scale that she couldn't hope to know how to operate any of the devices. Map charts of stars and constellations were scattered around tables and pinned up on bulletin boards, displaying a vast array of colors. Jane hit the lights on the side wall, illuminating the rest of the workspace as Jackie stood in awe.

This was something that she herself felt fascinated by, meaning all the research Jane had to put the notes were in different places in the room and some were on the floor giving this place more didn't matter if she could make odds or ends of it, because she knew Jane was able to find everything in its disignated place of origin.

"So what exactly do I need to do Jane? I mean it seems like you got pretty much everything covered here." Jackie glanced around the room noticing the computers in the room lit up like christmas tree lights filled with information on some sort of basic transportation.

"Not exactly." Jane returned with a thoughtful expression, "I'm working on the impossible here, and some would even say it's crazy."

"Well, out with it." Jackie persisted. She was rather anxious for the task at hand and after their conversation over drinks, she was certain she could handle anything.

"I need to come up with a way to access Asgard from here, and I was wondering if you knew a way about the workings of a BiFrost."

Jackie blinked rapidly for a moment. The truth was out there now, hanging around in the air like the elephant in the room it was. She had asked for nothing but the truth, but this was asinine, "You want me to WHAT?!"

Jane grew sheepish, "I know it's a lot to ask, and I'm not even sure if it can be done, but I was hoping you would assist me with my search. Erik can only help so much and Darcy has proven to be useless in this field. You're the best option, Jack." Jane pleaded a bit with the nickname, trying to sweeten her up to the idea.

"I'm flattered...I guess." She started to pace the lab, looking at Jane's findings as the walked the room, "You remember when I said, it's rumored that Mjolnir is capable of making portals between the nine realms?"

"Yeah, but he never mentioned that." Jane said with a small frown.

"Well, it's neither here nor there anyways. I'm sure he's just as desperate to get back here and he must have thought of everything on his end too." Jackie reasoned, "But what you're talking about is completely different. We barely are capable of space travel, let alone trying to reach a distant realm only thought to exist in myth. We'd need coordinates, not to mention a ton of electrical power. Of course, reality tends to mess with theory too. I don't even know if this can be done."

Jane grew discouraged, but only slightly. Her visage was still held straight and she kept her face bare of doubts, "We have to at least try. I saw it in the sky, both when he first arrived and when he left after his brother."

"Brother?" Jackie interjected.

"Loki."

Of course, how could she forget that detail, "Right, sorry. I keep forgetting that they're all real, somewhere out there."

"It's Okay. I know it's a lot to take in." Jane said gently, "but your help would be much appreciated."

Jane was humble and she had no doubt she was wanted here for her knowledge. Weighing the options in her head, she knew she had the time to do so and could at least give it a go, "Did you want to start right now?" She asked, giving in to the situation.

She began to walk over to Jane's desk to look through the mess of papers splayed across her desk. Half of the figures she didn't understand, and she wondered when and where Jane had found the time to work on this stuff. She must have cared for Thor more than she initially realized , and it almost felt like intruding on her part, knowing this was something on a personal level for Jane. Nevertheless, Jane willingly opened up the information for her to process, both of them seated at the cluttered desk while throwing ideas around, both factual and total nonsense. When dealing with talking about travel between realms, some of the extraordinary had to be expected.

"Where does Erik side on all of this?" Jackie asked, figuring it good to learn who else would be helping.

"He's coming around." Jane said lightly, "Secretly, I think he was just as disappointed about Thor's disappearance as I was. Of course Darcy is on board, when she wants to help that is."

Jackie nodded, though felt slightly embarrassed that Jane was surrounded by friends, even if a few. It was nice to have someone to turn to, something severely lacking in her life. She suppressed a yawn, one that Jane was quick to catch anyways as she rose a brow in inquiry, "I'm not tired." Jackie defended.

"It's Okay if you are. I know we started this a bit late." Jane reassured.

"Are you sure, Jane?" Jackie asked a bit doubtful, but Jane gave her an assuring bid her farewell before heading home. There was a lot for her to take in with the information that Jane shared with her. If their was something she could do to help her friend, Jackie would put in her best efforts to do so.

Inside her car Jackie wondered if Loki made plans to come back to earth, because from what she knew about the God of lies was that he doesn't give up that easily, yet she was curious if there was a bigger picture to his plan. Hopefully things would be cleared up about that tomorrow with Loki's scheming, and ways to help Thor get home too. Somehow Jackie knew it wouldn't be that simple.

Starting her car, she began to back out of the lot from Jane's lab, only to slam on her breaks as she spotted a dark creature, low to the ground at the side of her car. Hoping the loud thud wasn't someone she had backed into that wasn't paying attention to where they were going. Sighing Jackie got of the car leaving the driver side to go check behind her car to see what it was she had hit.

Walking around the car she went to find a small black patch of fur coming out from hiding near her rear tire. The light of the moon caught the creatures eyes, shining blue. The bat-eared animal was a fox pup, the color pitch no bigger than a house cat. Jackie wasn't much of a zoologist and she was uncertain if foxes were common in this region. Whatever the case, it appeared frightened, and maybe injured by her accidently. It was wild, so reaching out to it might be unwise, but she couldn't help the need to have to help an animal in trouble.

"Come here little one." She coached gently, the pup inching back slightly before leaning forward to smell her hand. She thought it might go to nip at her fingers, but only the soft nose pressed against the flesh of her hand as it took a small step forward. She hoped Jane wasn't still watching her, probably thinking she was mad, bend low on the ground on her knees as she was stretching under her car for an animal.

The pup continued to advance it's small steps forward until she finally took her advantage to catch it it by the belly, lifting the small weight into her arms. He struggled, twisting and squirming his body to try and break free (she could now see he was male) but she didn't let go, uttering soothing words until he calmed in her embrace. He seemed to be favoring his left hind leg, and she could tell it was injured, though unlikely broken.

"Where did you come from?" She whispered aloud, and she thought she imagined his small head turning up to the sky. Carrying him back over to the drivers side where she had left the door opened, she eased his small body on to the passengers seat before settling herself back in the vehicle. The fox seemed uncertain to be in the car, but he curled his body carefully on the seat, laying on his right side as she started the ignition, onward to home with a new mischievous friend seated beside her.


End file.
